'If I can't have you, no one can': Jealous Leeds boyfriend put pillow over partner's face after accusing her of cheating

Leigh Edwards left his victim with a serious head wound but refused to let her leave her home to go to hospital in case she reported the attack to medics.

Edwards eventually allowed the woman out of property in Bramley at knifepoint, telling her she would "get it" if she did anything wrong.

But instead of taking her to hospital, Edwards drove the woman to the home of the man he believed she had been cheating with in a bid to confront him.

Edwards, 34, was jailed for three years and three months over the incident at the victim's home in Bramley on October 24 last year.

Ben Campbell, prosecuting, said Edwards turned up at the victim's friend's house where the two women were having a drink together.

He appeared to be drunk and smelt of cannabis but was in a good mood.

Edwards took cocaine at the property and began to behave strangely.

Leeds Crown Court heard Edwards exposed his backside to the two women and became angry as he believed they had been laughing at him.

Edwards started to cry and then became aggressive so the victim decided to go home.

Mr Campbell said Edwards had a key to his partner's property and went home with her.

He immediately became aggressive as soon as they were inside.

The woman denied the allegations but Edwards screamed before headbutting her in the face.

The prosecutor said the woman immediately felt pain and began bleeding heavily from a deep cut to the side of her eyebrow.

She went to the living room and pleaded with Edwards to leave her alone.

He punched her four or five times to the face as she was on the sofa then dragged her to the floor by her hair.

Mr Campbell said: "A cushion was placed on her face and he asked her to tell him the truth."

The woman began to panic as Campbell told her he had a razor in his pocket and was going to use it on both of them.

He told her: "If I can't have you, no one can."

Edwards then gave his partner a tea towel and she went to the kitchen to clean the wound.

The defendant became angry again, called her a 's**t' and struck her several more times.

The victim pleaded with Edwards for more than 20 minutes for him to take her to hospital but he refused as he believed she would report him.

He eventually agreed to take her but showed her a knife with a serrated edge and told her she would "get it" if she made a complaint about him.

When they got into his car he told her that she was not going to hospital.

Edwards drove to the home of the man he believed she been having an affair with.

When they arrived at the property it was 3.30am and there was no answer when he knocked on the door.

Edwards drove the victim back to her home.

She managed to run from the car and hid in bushes before alerting neighbours who saw her covered in blood.

The victim was taken to hospital by ambulance where the wound was treated.

Police interviewed her at Leeds General Infirmary where she told officers she believed she was going to die during the attack.

Edwards was arrested a short time later and denied responsibility for the attack.

He claimed he had been at a friend's house and accused the woman's ex-boyfriend of assaulting her.

Edwards, of Landseer Terrace, Bramley, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, driving while disqualified and having no insurance.

Edwards has previous domestic-related convictions. One offence includes him destroying a former partner's mobile phone in a jealous rage.

Phillip Morris, mitigating, said the incident was linked to the defendant's dependence on drink and drugs.

He said: "He has expressed remorse for his behaviour during the course of this particular evening."

Jailing Edwards, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said: "It was a sustained, repeated assault over a significant period of time.

"I have no doubt it was an extremely frightening experience for her.

"You have demonstrated jealousy in your previous convictions."

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